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Nuclear Power, highly dangerous for Tonga

Yesterday on Tonga television we heard about a nuclear program in Tonga. No, Please! The Nuclear power is highly dangerous and doesn't really improve in any way the actual situation of the country. - Corinna Langi.

Responding to media reports and His Majesty King George Tupou V's visionary opinion at the 2010 Legislative Assembly's opening June 10, (see article: Langi demonizes nuclear power as an undesirable alternative energy source for Tonga's utility needs.

Transparency With Modern Technology

How did France keep their nuclear power program operating since 1974, providing a clean energy source for 75% of their utility needs? Despite numerous small accidents, the French government is actively pursuing ethical and moral governance in their nuclear program making transparency their main goal.

Langi's claim that tourism is “the only Ecological and Safe way to develop a strong economy … ” is false: Tourism is not an energy source. Solar, wind, hydrogen, and electricity are other friendly alternative energy sources, which are also ecologically safe to produce.

Big Risks, Whom to Trust?

A more plausible argument against nuclear power for Tonga would be: How can we trust a “corrupted” Government and Legislative Assembly to be transparent on such sensitive, and potentially devastating technological phenomenon?

The Princess Ashika disaster demonstrated the lack of ethical and moral governance with transparency in our government. Can The People trust the same bureaucracy with such highly technological demands as in nuclear power? - Sione Akemeihakau Mokofisi

Nuclear Power may provide an alternative source of electricity for Tonga - Lopeti Senituli: In His Majesty's Speech from the Throne at the opening of Parliament on June 10th, King George Tupou V referred to the observation of developments in small nuclear reactor technology of approximately 30 megawatts the development of which, over the next few years in the United States of America, might be a feasible alternative for the generation of electricity in the Kingdom.

These small reactors, unlike the conventional light water reactors, are liquid metal cooled “fast” reactors whose coolant is, of course, lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) and the reactor's fuel will be uranium nitride which is a high temperature ceramic fuel contained in stainless steel fuel pins. The heat (power) extracted from the reactor is transferred for power conversion in a separate location within the plant. The produced steam can drive industrial processes or be used to convert the primary power into electricity using conventional turbine-generators.

This technology is incapable of producing nuclear weapons grade plutonium.

His Majesty also referred to Tonga's Energy Road Map (TERM) which is the Government's blueprint for the transformation of the energy sector in Tonga over the next 10 years. Its aim is to reduce the impact of oil price volatility on the price of electricity and increase the public's access to a reliable source of electricity.

Like other small island states with negligible land-based natural resources and zero internal source of fossil fuel and hydro-electricity, Tonga must develop its technical capacity, utility standards and institutional frameworks to allow it to take advantage of renewable energy technologies already available - such as wind and solar, as well as the new technologies that continue to be developed each year  potential technologies such as wave generators, small scale tidal current generators, hydrogen based alternatives as well as small scale nuclear reactors. All of these new technologies must be carefully examined as alternatives for the generation of electricity in Tonga in the future. - Lopeti Senituli

Nuclear Energy - quite amusing - Freddy Kavaha‘apai: I couldn't hold myself back from considering whether its amazing or amusing, that there have so many suggestions on which source of energy is best and cheaper for Tonga in the recent past. From solar and to windmills, converting salt water to energy, then came along the suggestion of nuclear energy which I find to be quite amusing rather than amazing.

To be realistic, it would take more than rocket science and series of experiments to bring nuclear energy to Tonga, let alone the cost. One doesn't need to look far to consider whether this source of energy is good for Tonga. Look around our neighbors and see if anyone is using or even suggesting the use nuclear energy? Tonga appears to be the only exception.

In any case if nuclear energy does reach our shores then we better start thinking of the following:

a) Where will this facility be located? Surely I don't want to live next door to a nuclear facility no matter how small the risk. I would humbly suggest if the facility could be located right next to parliament house … you know why … don't ask

b) How much will it cost taxpayers? … I guess this question will be crossing everyone's mind

e) Should it be compulsory for everyone to get insured? … well we just don't know when disaster will strike … learn from the Ashika Tragedy … Insurance might be at least the best policy

f) We can be insured but then who will insure the environment, the land, the trees and the sea if there is a Hazmat Incident? Perhaps Finance can prepare a contingency budget … remember If there is a potential risk, there is also a price

g) What guarantee is there that having nuclear source of energy won't attract criminal activities, let alone a bomb threat? Perhaps parliament can pay for a bomb squad or for the FBI to open an office right next to the nuclear facility … for security of course.

If the above measures can be successfully met, then I see no reason why the suggestion of nuclear energy cannot be implemented. Lets place the order and get the project materials on the next shipment. Oh, I forgot to ask how will the materials be transported? By air or by sea? Lets hope the Somalian pirates don't hijack the shipment if its coming by sea. Lets pray that no lunatic shoot the cargo down if its transported by a Hercules military craft.

There you have it … amazing or amusing … you decide - Freddy Kavaha‘apai

Nuclear Power: Let's keep an open mind - Meteliko T. Tuaileva: I have been following the development of “Hyperion Power Generation Inc” for over one year to date, in fact I suggested to them that they should contact the King of Tonga, and that he would understand how useful this technology for his country and it's people.

I appreciate all the writers to your magazine for their concern and quoting past histories of the evil of Nuclear Power, rightfully so, but we cannot just sit back and wait for the world and Tonga's neighbors to move into a position where Tonga would have to keep up with what is happening in the World, especially with the progress and availability of this technology.

I would humbly asked that everyone go to hyperiongeneration com and read up on why the US Secretary of Energy, Bill Gates, Toshiba/Japan, and now China, are all involved in this company's Nuclear Technology. I believed that you will have a better understanding of why His Majesty King George V, is joining other World Business Leaders, in supporting of this Limited Nuclear Power Generation Clean Technology. Let's keep an open mind before we condemn this very special Nuclear Power Technology. - Meteliko T. Tuaileva